Traditional Scottish Songs
- Ae Fond Kiss

There is a new film in the pipeline about the love affair between Robert Burns and Mrs Agnes (Nancy) McLehose ("Clarinda" in one of his poems) between December 1787 (when he first met her) and January 1792. Burns wrote nine songs to Clarinda and is said to have written this sad, passionate, love song as Nancy sailed from Greenock to the West Indies.


Ae Fond Kiss

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae farewell, and then forever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerfu twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy:
Naething could resist my Nancy!
But to see her was to love her
Love but her and love for ever.
Had we never lov'd sae kindly.
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
Never met - or never parted
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.

Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka. joy and treasure.
Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae farewell, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee.
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.

Meaning of unusual words:
Ae=one
ilka=every

Return to the Index of Traditional Scottish Songs



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